What Are Seasonal Jobs: A Complete Guide to Seasonal Work

Seasonal jobs are short-term jobs available for a specific season of the year. Seasonal employers hire seasonal workers to help meet additional demand during holidays, the busy season, the tourism season, or the harvest season.

Seasonal jobs can range from a couple of weeks to a few months, or even an entire season. Seasonal jobs are common at hotels, resorts, restaurants, summer camps, farms, national parks, retail, and outdoor recreation industries.

If you are interested in looking for seasonal jobs, you can choose from temporary work or work and gain experience in a new place.

What Is a Seasonal Job?

A seasonal job is a type of temporary employment created to fill the needs of an employer for a specific season or busy period.

Examples include ski resort jobs during the winter, summer camp jobs during the summer, and farm jobs during harvest season. Seasonal jobs usually have a specific start and end date, and some employers offer permanent employment if a worker is hired for the season.

How do seasonal jobs work?

Seasonal jobs work the same way as any other employer would. In most cases, seasonal employment is a short-term contract job. Here are some ways seasonal jobs can be different from regular jobs:

Work full or part-time hours, depending on the employer's needs.
Have employment dates that start and end at specific times.
Require extra hours during busy days to meet demand.
Pay hourly or salary.
Provide employee housing or meals.
Require the employee to go through training before the job.
Allow the worker to return for another season.

Where Can You Find Seasonal Jobs?

Seasonal jobs are found throughout the United States. Areas with higher seasonal demand are usually the employers of seasonal jobs. Some of the best places to look for seasonal jobs include:

Ski Resorts

Ski resorts usually hire additional workers during the winter season. Workers can be hired as lift attendants, housekeeping, restaurant staff, rental staff, guest services, and maintenance. Popular ski resort destinations are in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, and Vermont.

Summer Camps

Summer camps require extra staff from the beginning of summer until their closure. Summer camps hire counselors, cooks, lifeguards, maintenance, leadership, and camp activities. Some camps provide housing and meals for their staff.

Hotels and Resorts

Hotels and resorts usually need seasonal employees during the busy season. The jobs have varying duties and responsibilities, including housekeeping, servers, front desk, cooks, laundry, guest services, and other hospitality duties.

National Parks

National parks open for a specific season and require seasonal employees. Other private businesses near national parks also offer seasonal employment. Positions include recreation, maintenance, hospitality, and other support duties.

Farms and Ranches

Farms and ranches require seasonal workers, especially with experience in farming and horticulture. Employment can range from planting, harvesting, landscape maintenance, guest services, animal control, packing, to other duties.

Retail Stores

Retail stores usually hire seasonal employees to help with the holiday rush. Positions are available in cashiers, sales, stock, customer service, and warehouse.

Do Seasonal Jobs Offer Housing?

Some seasonal employers offer employee housing while others do not. Housing is usually available at ski resorts, summer camps, national parks, ranches, resorts, and lodges. Before accepting a seasonal job with housing, always consider these questions:

Is the housing guaranteed?
How much will I be charged for the rent?
Do I pay for the rent from my salary?
Will I share the house or room?
Are meals included in the rent?
How far is the house from the worksite?

In most cases, a lower-paying seasonal job that covers or subsidizes housing and provides meals may be more lucrative than a higher-paying and expensive housing job.

Can You Get a Seasonal Job With No Experience?

Most seasonal employers offer entry-level experience jobs. Jobs that require no experience include housekeeping, dishwasher, kitchen helper, camp jobs, retail, farm jobs, groundskeeper, warehouse, guest services, maintenance, and other similar duties.

Every employer has different requirements, so make sure to read the requirements before applying for the job.

How Long Do Seasonal Jobs Last?

Seasonal jobs can vary between employers, industries, and job positions. Seasonal jobs can last for just a few weeks, two or three months, four to six months, or the entire summer or winter season. Always look at the employment dates for a seasonal job. For instance, summer camps usually have an open season for the summer, while ski resort jobs are seasonal during the winter season. Your seasonal job opportunity should state the work dates to know how long the job will last.

When Should You Apply for Seasonal Jobs?

It is always advisable to apply for seasonal jobs months ahead of the busy season. Popular seasonal jobs can fill up fast, especially those that offer employee housing. If you are looking for summer jobs, you should apply for jobs in the previous fall or winter, and if you are looking for ski resort jobs, most employers will begin their hiring process during the late summer and early fall.

Pros and Cons of Seasonal Jobs

Seasonal jobs have their advantages and disadvantages, and every worker should consider them before getting into seasonal employment.

Pros

Short-term employment: Seasonal employment has a defined start and end date, and the jobs are suitable for people who want temporary work.
Extra income: Seasonal jobs offer extra earnings, and you can choose from a wide range of industries and job positions.
Work experience: Seasonal jobs offer job experience and help expand your resume skills.
Live in a new place: You can choose to work in a new place, meet new people, and learn about new things.
Entry-level opportunities: Seasonal employers usually offer entry-level seasonal positions.
Employee housing: Some seasonal employers provide employee housing and other benefits.
Meals: Some employers provide meals to their seasonal employees.

Cons

Short work term: Seasonal employment has a specific start and end date and can only last a few months.
Work hours: Seasonal employers may offer fewer hours for some workers depending on their needs.
Shared housing: Seasonal employers may offer shared housing in most cases.
Physical work: Some seasonal jobs require physical labor.
Remote area: Some seasonal jobs can be in remote areas.
No permanent employment: Seasonal employment does not offer permanent or ongoing work.

How to Find Seasonal Jobs in the USA

You can find seasonal jobs in the following places:

Seasonal job sites
Employers' websites
Resort websites
Summer camp job sites
Government job websites
Local businesses
Job search sites

On VagaJobs, you can search for seasonal opportunities using specific job types and locations. You can also use the following search terms to narrow your seasonal job search:

Seasonal jobs near me
Seasonal jobs with housing
Summer seasonal jobs
Winter seasonal jobs
Seasonal jobs with no experience
Seasonal resort jobs
National park seasonal jobs
Seasonal jobs in USA

Is a Seasonal Job Right for You?

A seasonal job can be suitable for temporary employment, extra income, and experience in a particular industry. You should always consider pay, hours, location, housing, transportation, and length of the job. Moreover, you should consider a seasonal job's overall value. In fact, a seasonal job's hourly rate may not always be helpful in determining which job to take.

Consider whether you want a seasonal job because of the work experience, the work environment, the extra income, or if your work location will change for the season. Moreover, a seasonal employer who provides free or cheap housing and meals can be more lucrative than a higher-paying seasonal job with no meals or distant housing.

Seasonal Jobs FAQ

What is a seasonal job?

A seasonal job is a short-term position available for a specific season or busy time. Seasonal jobs are found in the ski resort, summer camps, hotels, farms, restaurants, retail, and national parks industries.

How long does a seasonal job last?

Seasonal jobs can vary between employers, industries, and job positions. Seasonal jobs can last from a few weeks to a few months, or an entire season.

Do seasonal jobs provide housing?

Some seasonal employers offer employee housing while others do not. Housing is usually available at ski resorts, summer camps, national parks, ranches, resorts, and lodges.

Can I get a seasonal job with no experience?

Yes, most seasonal employers offer entry-level experience jobs. Jobs such as housekeeping, dishwasher, kitchen helper, camp jobs, retail, farm jobs, groundskeeper, warehouse, guest services, and maintenance require no experience.

When should I apply for a seasonal job?

You should apply for a seasonal job months ahead of the busy season. Popular seasonal jobs can fill up fast, especially those that offer employee housing.